Proper circulation is important for healthy skin, because it ensures the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to skin tissue, giving it a healthy glow.

In a study of healthy middle‐aged women, researchers at the University of Witten‐Herdeckein Germany found that Juice Plus increased skin circulation in the capillaries by 39 percent. Juice Plus also boosted skin hydration, skin thickness, and skin density. Women who took a placebo, on the other hand, actually experienced decreased skin circulation by the end of the 12‐week study.

Foods rich in vitamin C and selenium help strengthen capillaries and also heal scars. Lycopene is an antioxidant that helps protect skin and is found in red foods especially in tomatoes. The vitamin A in leafy greens helps keep elasticity.

“Glutathione has been labelled as the mother of all antioxidants and the ultimate free radical quencher and detoxifier. We produce this molecule endogenously, primarily in the liver, using the precursor amino acids cysteine, glutamine and glycine, which come from the food that we eat. Research shows that as we increase in age our levels of glutathione gradually go down and deficiency of this antioxidant has been associated with Alzheimer’s and depression, as well as other chronic illnesses such as cancer. ” (Food for the Brain 2016)

“So what can we do to help optimise our glutathione levels? Aside from eating a healthy diet, there is a family of vegetables that have been indicated to be particularly helpful in encouraging optimal levels of glutathione. This is the cruciferous group of vegetables, which contain high levels of sulforaphane, a phytochemical that encourages the production of glutathione. For example, in a study at John Hopkins University, forty boys and young men, ages 13 to 27, with moderate to severe autism, were treated for 18 weeks with a daily dose of either a placebo or sulforaphane, a plant chemical derived from broccoli sprouts. The study found that many of those taking sulforaphane substantially improved in several aspects of their behavior during treatment. Apart from broccoli, other cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, artichoke, kale, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kohlrabi, pak choy, turnips, watercress and rocket.Other studies have shown how sulforaphane can have antidepressant effects due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activity. ” Food for the Brain 2016

Does what we put into our mouth really impact the way we think? It turns out yes – it does and it’s been scientifically proven! So what are these brain-feeding foods and how can you start eating more of them? Here are just five super foods that’ll help you steam through the week!

btw – Numbers 2 & 4 are well covered by Juice Plus+ & also other fruits and berries contained are rich in polyphenols.

1. Avocado

Before you say ‘avocados have a high fat content’, this creamy fruit is an absolute powerhouse of nutrition. The good fats in avocados are the monounsaturated fats, which have been proven to protect brain cells. Furthermore, they are high in vitamin K and folate (folic acid) – both preventing against blood clots in the brain. There are so many ways to get more avocados into your diet. Chop them into salads, smooth over toast, whizz up in smoothies or throw together some guacamole.

2. Blueberries

These are one of my favourite berries and they are the highest antioxidant packed fruit out there! These high levels of antioxidants protect your brain cells and reduce inflammation, limiting damage from stress and degeneration. There should be no excuses as to why you can’t eat more of these; they are too gorgeous! Throw into a fruit juice or smoothie, top your porridge or make some blueberry pancakes! Go on – make your breakfast blue!

3. Extra virgin olive oil

We’re talking real extra virgin olive oil here – the good stuff! Extra virgin olive oil is packed with an antioxidant called polyphenols, which are powerful brain cell preservers! Including EVOO in your diet might not only help your focus, memory and productivity, but also help fight off brain toxins that may induce Alzheimer’s. Extra virgin olive oil is at its healthiest at room temperature, so try drizzling over your next salad!

4. Dark leafy greens

Kale, spinach, swiss chard and romaine lettuce are all bursting with goodness to keep your brain ticking. Full of vitamin E and folate, filling up on green goodness is the real deal! Not only do these help fight inflammation and keep your bones strong (ie, Popeye!), the folate and extra vitamin K protect those brain cells too. Crisp up some kale with extra virgin olive oil to make some yummy crisps or blitz some spinach into your next smoothie.

5. Salmon

One of my favourite fish to eat during the week and so easy to cook, it’s amazing this is such a fab brain food too! Salmon is an incredible natural source of omega-3 oil, totally brain friendly and known to actually help the growth of cells in the brain’s memory centre! I love salmon baked in foil with a little pesto or simply poached until it’s soft and flaky. Try with a serving of dark leafy greens drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and you’re onto a winning brain fuelling dinner!

Unlike drugs, nutrients do not have rapid effects. No quick fix. The business of nutrition is to build a better body. That has to wait on nature to turn over body cells. A blood cell lasts 60-120 days. In 3-4 months your whole blood supply is completely replaced. In 6 months almost all the proteins in your body die and are replaced, even the DNA in your genes. In a year, all your bones and even the enamel of your teeth is replaced, constructed entirely out of the nutrients you eat.

This time course is well illustrated by the course of deficiency diseases. If I remove all the vitamin C from your diet, within 4 weeks blood vitamin C will drop to zero. But, you will see no symptoms of disease at 4 weeks. You have to wait until enough of the healthy cells have been replaced by unhealthy cells. It is another 12 weeks before the symptoms of scurvy start to ravage your body.

So when you implement an optimum nutrition program, don’t expect rapid results. In one of our studies at the Colgan Institute, runners were supplemented to try to improve their haemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell count. But, after one month of supplementation, there was no improvement at all. After 6 months, however, all three indices were significantly increased. (Dr Michael Colgan)

Did you know there is a safe and simple test to determine your risk of breast cancer/disease? Painless, non invasive and without any exposure to radiation, it is used as part of an early detection programme.

Did you know it can detect abnormalities 8 – 10 years before a mammogram?

*Men are very welcome; you too can get breast cancer and many other diseases.

“An estimated 2 million older people in the UK suffer from depression as well as worsening memory, but are often ignored due to the current focus and fear around dementia and Alzheimer’s. More than 8 out of 10 older people with depression go untreated, says the Royal College of Psychiatry, and consequently the incidence of suicide is alarmingly high. Part of the problem, says Tom Gentry, policy adviser at Age UK, is expectations "We’re stuck in this mindset that it’s a normal stage of life to be disengaging with the world and starting to close up,” he said. The other issue is that the very nature of feeling down and unmotivated, coupled with less clarity of thought, makes it harder for a person to take positive action “

”Having a raised homocysteine level is a strong predictor of depression"

The concept of Five-a-day was introduced to the UK because the Health authorities thought that the 9+ a day actually recommended by researchers would be too much for us to cope with. Talk about ‘nanny state’. Now they’re actually daring to say that’s not enough. Of course if 5 is set as the ‘to aim for’ target, people will think that 3 or so will do. NO – it won’t !!

We should eat 9 – 13 portions of raw, fresh, fruit & veg each day – and most should be veg.

On the face of it this article is helpful, and I suppose it could be to some. I have an issue though with the whole idea of subterfuge and ‘kidology’.

Here’s a radical thought: be honest with your children.

It starts with food cut into fancy shapes, tempting toddlers with a whole host of disguises rather than introducing food as..wait for it.. food ! Keep it in its natural state as much as possible. Hungry? Have some food.

Similarly, drink. I’m sure a massive amount of unnecessary sugar, calories, preservatives, colourings etc. slips endlessly down young throats because parents have trained their children not to recognise when they’re thirsty -and the ideal, natural solution is water. It is almost free; healthy; hydrating; immediately available to the body instead of having to be digested and purified.

Instead, involve children in discussions and preparation, in choosing and shopping. And consider how much money is spent in disguising food and drink or inflating it in terms of added water, air, and of course money.

I work both as a Counsellor and a nutritionist – with a deliberate small n. I am so convinced that poor diet impacts on our mental health as well as our physical health that I recommend and now supply a top-quality, bio-available whole food supplement. I do not have sufficient knowledge to prescribe foods for medical conditions but I do know that feeding our bodies with a wide range of phytonutrients on a daily basis helps bridge the gap between what we do eat and what we should eat.

Obvious when you think about it but sadly totally ignored most of the time. Many people simply do not realise the full effect of their poor diet. Apart from acknowledging a sugar rush, or the opposite; that blood-sugar levels are low, most people just think they’re hungry or, not-hungry; that food is just fuel with a few random vitamins for specific ailments eg vitamin C to prevent scurvy. And didn’t that die out with pirates and sailing ships?

Our dietary and nutritional requirements change on a daily basis depending on what activities we choose to complete and the challenges we put our bodies through. This doesn’t just mean whether or not we run a marathon that day but whether we are stressed; exposed to pollution; get sunburnt; drink alcohol; etc etc.

Without a varied, balanced, nutrient-rich diet we will always be compromising our bodies. Continued over along period of time that will be detrimental to good health; physical and mental, and may even cause reduced life expectancy.

Instead, a healthy diet including a good quality bio-available supplement such as JuicePlus+ ( www.nutrition-support.com ) must be the obvious solution.